Lock-replacing unit



Dec. 2, 1930. E. oHNs'rRAND LOCK REPLACING: UNIT Filed Nov. 15. 192i;

V faz' MQW.;

M/zs

Patented Dec. 2, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ENOCH OHNSTRAND, OF KENMORE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 REMINGTON RAND INC.,

OF TONAWANDA, NEW YORK i Loox-nnLAcrNc Unir Application filed November 15, 1927. Serial No. 233,434.

This invention relates to a device for replacing locks in furniture constructions, which is particularly adapted to finish a furniture construction where provision isV made for using a lock, and where it is desired to omit the lock.

In the manufacture of various types of furniture it is desirable to equip the drawers, or closures for filing compartments, with locks so the files therein may be made inaccessible to unauthorized persons. In the construction of oiiice furniture for large establishments for instance, -it is Vfrequently desired that 'a group of such lfurniture for the use of executives andcertain clerks be equipped with locks, while another group of such furniture for the use of clerks have the locks omitted. This necessitatesa change in the construction of the furniture and usually requires two types of constructions, one providing the locks and. the other omitting them. In the construction of inetal furniture this adds to the costof the furniture, especially where it is made from die-shaped sheet material, because it requires two sets of dies for making certain Vportions of the furniture with the Variations necessary to provide the lock in one case and omit it in the other.

This invention is designed to overcome this disadvantage in the making of furniture or other similar constructions, to eliminate the necessity for two sets of dies for making similar parts or the Vequivalent` operation and to reduce the cost of manufacture of the furniture. y v l The invention comprehends the provision of furniture constructions made for equipment with locks of the desired type, which are additionally provided with suitable elements to replace the lock in the form of filler Y members which simulate the l outward appearance of the locks, and provide the properV appearance and nish on the outside of the furniture which it normally has when provided with the locks. Y n

The invention provides a construction in which portionsof the lock supporting e1ements are employed in connection with a retaining means for the filler member, in

order that the lock mechanism may be readily dispensed with and a filler member having an outward appearance similar to the lock conveniently clamped in place of the lock, and thereby provide a properly finished furniture construction.

The invention includes numerous other objects which reside in the special construction and association of the several parts in combination with the furniture construction which are pointed out in detail in the following description and claims, directed to the preferred construction, it being underw stood however, that various changes may be made'in the construction and yassociation of these parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as herein set forth.

I n the drawing forming part of this application, y

Fig. 1 is a horizontal, sectional view through a portion of a piece of furniture,

for instancethe frontwall of the center drawer of a pedestal desk showing a lock construction applied in operative position.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the construction vshown in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is 'a horizontal, sectional view similar to Fig. l showing the lock replaced by the lock replacing members jof this invention.

Fig. 4 is a disassembled perspective view of the filler member and the parts cooperating therewith for retaining it in assembled relation with a suitable piece of furniture.

l indicates the wallV of a suitable piece of furniture which maybe the front wall of the central drawer of a pedestal desk convstructed of sheet metal or the like. This wall portion l is provided with an opening 2 which rotatably receives a handle member 3 provided with a handle Ai. T his handlemember is provided with a cylindrical bore in which is mounted the lockingcylinder 5 having the locking cam 6 secured to the flanged portion 7 on the rear end thereof. This locking cam 6 carries a stud 8 in axial alignment with the locking cylinder' 5 which projects through an opening in the retaining plate 9. A vpin l0 extends transversely to the stud 8 through an opening therein and engages the rear face of the retaining plate 9 for retain- .1'

n. ry;

ing the lock and handle member in assembled relation in the wall 1 ofthe desk or other furniture, with the flange 11 on the handie member engagingl the marginal portion ofthe wall contiguous to the opening i2. The retaining plate i has the opposite end portions secured to the lateral extensions 12 at the opposite ends of the supporting plate generally indial'ed at 13. This support-ing plate 13 has oil'set portions 14, to which the ends 12 are connected, secured to the wall 1 of the furniture. while the central portion of this plate is oili'serelative to the portions 111 as indicated at 15. This central j iortion 15 is provided with a semi-cylindrical opening extending upwardly from the loweredge as indicated at 16, and the locking recess 1T for receiving tlie bolt. 1S of lock rIlhis bolt as shown in Fig. 1 is adapted to be projected laterally from the locking cylinder through suitable ley operation in the usual manner. This locking` cylinder 5 with the mechanism for projecting and retracting the bolt 18 may be of any well known type of construction adapted for the purpose. The locking cam 6 is adapted to provide locking cooperation with the parts of the furniture to be locked relative to the wall 1, or to operate any other desiredlocking mechanism, to lool; doors, drawers, or other desired parts of a desk or other furniture in closed position.

Ibercit is desired to dispense with the locking mechanism above described for the purpose of illustration, it is found necessary to provide seme means of eliminating the ol jectionable appearance caused by removing the handle member and locking cylinder from the opening 2. This invention provides for eliminatingl this objectionable feature where it is not desired to use a lock, by means of the insertion of the filler or lock replacing member 2() into the opening 2 in l.ie wall 1 as shown in Fig of the drawing. This filler member Q0 has an annular flange Q1 which engages the marginal portion of the wall 1 around the opening, this member having a shape similar to that of the assembled handle member and locli as shown in Figs. 1 and Q, but on'iitting the handle '-i. This filler member is preferably forn'ied of hoilow cast material having a cylindrical flange 22 and the axial projection 23 from the rear side which is. provided with a` threaded socket for receiving the screw member Q4. This screw member is adapted to extend through the opening 25 in the plate 2G for retaining the filler member and plate in assembled relation. This plate member 26 is adapted to have the ends engaged with the end portions of central portion 15 of supporting member 13, the plate member QG extending across the opening 16 in said central portion and serving to retain the ller member in place. The screw @et can be adjusted to apply the desired tension in assembling the filler member and retaining plate 26 together on the supporting member and wall 1, so as to rigidly retain the filler member with the flange Q1 engaged with the 'all so that the opening 2 is obscured and a finished, neat appearance provided out* Wardly of the desk or other furniture. construction, provided for receiving a loch and where this lock is eliminated.

IVith this use of the filler or lock rephufing member, metal desk constructions or other metal furniture can be made from one set of dies or other equivalent method of construction and constructed for use with or without locks as may be desired by those purchasing` and using such furniture. The cost of supplying the filler members with the retaining plates and set screws effects a snlgistantial saving over the construct-ion of two types of desks using two sets of dies, and in addition provide uniformity in the construction of all furniture, making it adaptable for the use of locks Whenever it may be desired as may often be the. case. The furniture is also adapted for interchanging` of locks from one desk to another that it may subsequently7 be desired to have equipped with a lock.

This invention therefore provides a novel combination using parts of the lock supporting mechanism in cooperation With the retaining elements for the filler or lock replacing member, in providing for the elimination of lool; constructions in furniture, with the elimination of the disadvantages which vould normally occur from the removal of the locks.

That is claimed is:

1. In combination, a drawer for furniture formed with a lock receiving opening in the front wall, a lock supporting member mounted inside of said drawer and having a portion in the rear of said opening spaced from the front wall, a filler member removably mounted in said opening and formed with an annular fiange engaging the marginal portion of the front wall adjacent said opening, a plate member having` the ends engaging said loch supportingmember, and means adjustably connecting the plate member and filler member for retaining said filler member in said openinff.

2. In combination, a piece of furniture having a lock receiving` opening forn'ied in one wall thereof, a lock supporting member mounted on the wall adjacent and in the rear of said opening, and means engaging said lock supporting member in the marginal portion of the wall around said opening for filling said openine.

3. In combination, a furniture construction having a lock receiving opening in one wall, a filler member inserted in said opening having an annular iange engaging the marginal portion around said opening at the outside thereof, and means engaging said member and the inside'of said Wall for retaining said member in said opening. Y

4. In combination, a 4furniture construetion having one'wail formed With a lock receiving opening, a filler .member inserted in said opening having an annular flange engaging the Wall around the margin of the opening, a projection on said filler member having a socket in the end thereof, a retain- 10 ing plate, and a member adjnetably engaged in said socket connected 4te said yretaining plate for retaining said filler member in Said opening.

5. In combination, a piece of furniture 15 having a lock receiving opening formed in one Wall thereof, a lock supporting member mounted on said Wall in the rear' of said opening, a Closure member for the opening in Said Wall, and means engaging'rsaid C10- 25 sure member and lock supporting member for retaining said closure member in said opening.

ENOCH OHNSTRAND. 

